Recipients: 2018 Dean's Honours Celebration
Six top 2017 graduates named from the University of Melbourne's School of Health Sciences.
Now in its second year, the Dean’s Honours Celebration recognises recent graduates who have achieved the highest academic results in several of the Faculty’s flagship courses. As noted by the Dean, Professor Shitij Kapur, the awardees have in common a commitment to deeply engaged, active and self-directed learning.
“Their studies have taken them to hospitals and health centres and immersed them in a wide range of communities across Victoria. They’ve undertaken research with our institute partners and studied overseas.”
“Not surprisingly, their achievements extend well beyond the classroom,” he said. “Perhaps most importantly, these graduates have pursued their studies with the capabilities and values that we as a Faculty see as so important: collaboration and teamwork, compassion, respect, integrity and accountability.
“These are graduates that we expect to be leading, indeed likely transforming, healthcare and research. We look forward to maintaining a long relationship with them as some of them continue their studies with us or move on to new careers in health and research.”
2018 Dean's Award Recipients from the Melbourne School of Health Sciences
Within her first six weeks in the program, Master of Nursing Science Courtney Kubitschek collaborated with her peers to develop an electronic health promotion resource to discourage drink driving, with the slogan, “Coffee plus alcohol - It still equals drunk”. Courtney’s passion for using evidence to change community behaviour will make her a formidable force in the profession. Previously, Courtney was the founder of a real-estate startup.
Master of Speech Pathology Matthew Fong has performed at a consistently exceptional level across his course work, clinical work and independent research. He has received three awards in recognition of his academic excellence, particularly in adult speech and language disorders.
Hannah Price, Master of Clinical Audiology, commuted weekly from Mildura to Melbourne to attend class. She always intended to bring back her expertise to service her community, and has undertaken her first graduate audiology position in Mildura.
As well as being Dux of his class, Doctor of Physiotherapy Campbell Flack convened a two-day DPT Student Conference in his final year, a mighty logistical undertaking on the theme of Achieving Innovation and Change in Health.
Master of Social Work Allison Browning is a gifted student with intelligence, warmth and high-level interpersonal skills . Her teachers expect her to make a significant contribution to the profession.
Doctor of Optometry Alex Kaye has returned from an overseas capstone experience on South Africa’s Phelophepa Health Train – a mobile health service travelling to impoverished rural areas. He has a strong desire to contribute to the “bigger picture” in optometry and public health.